Energon
| This article is about . For other uses of "Energon", see Energon (disambiguation)|The name or term "Energon" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Energon (disambiguation).}} |
This article is a featured article, and considered to be one of the most informative on this wiki.
Energon (sometimes spelled with a capital letter, sometimes not<ref>Original Sunbow documentation from the production of the Generation 1 cartoon series (as seen on the Metrodome DVD collections, among other places) alternates between spelling the fuel's name with an upper- and a lower-case "e", with the lower-case option appearing more frequently—a standard reflected in other contemporary media such as the Action Cards, and even publications as recent as the Timelines stories written by Greg Sepelak and Trent Troop. Only in recent years, beginning in force around the time of the Energon franchise, has the upper-case "Energon" become more pervasive, with perhaps the earliest example being its intermittent use in Beast Wars instructions sheets (in reference to the line's rubsigns, which would alternately be called "Energon Chips", "Energon chips" and "energon chips". Most recently, the novel Transformers: Exodus and the Timelines stories by Jesse Wittenrich have used the capital-E spelling. This article opts to use the original lower-case as the default, using the upper-case for continuities where it has been explicitly spelled that way.</ref>) is the preferred fuel of the Transformer race. It takes many forms, including ore, crystal, gas, and raw energy, but it is most commonly used by Transformers in its liquid state, which is stored in many different mediums, most famously the energon cube. It is ubiquitous in Cybertronian culture; in addition to being the Transformers' primary "foodstuff", it also serves as the default power source for their machines and weapons, and is even used as a currency, a catch-all fuel of life, technology, war and commerce on Cybertron and beyond. This widespread use also comes in defiance of its extreme volatility: energon is prone to detonating explosively if mishandled, and is even used as ammunition in order to exploit this attribute.
True energon is an emanation of Primus, the creator-god of the Transformers, and is, in its most rareified state, the basic building block of Transformers' bodies and sparks. A highly coveted substance, it is sometimes capable of inducing remarkable transformations in Cybertronians, reshaping and otherwise altering their bodies while imbuing great strength and other powers, either temporary or permanent depending on the duration or strength of exposure. True energon is, however, extremely rare: in most universal streams, the Transformers' long war has left Cybertron drained of all but the smallest fraction of the substance, and although it has been known to exist on a small sampling of other planets throughout the multiverse (usually Earth), its paucity leaves the Transformers usually subsisting on artificially-generated substitutes created from other local energy sources.
{{#if:Raf EsquivelRaf's Notes|| “ | They're all after this stuff called Energon, which is kinda like food and gas and blood and electricity all mixed into one. | ” |
| {{#if:Raf Esquivel| —Raf Esquivel{{#if:Raf's Notes|, Raf's Notes}} }}}} | ||
Conceptual history
Energon has undergone extensive redefinition and reimagination over the past 25+ years of Transformers fiction.
When it was originally introduced in the first episode of the Generation 1 cartoon series, energon was a liquid fuel used by the Decepticons and stored in cubes, which was created by processing virtually any available energy resource; in the opening mini-series alone, oil, hydro-electric power, ruby crystals and rocket fuel were all converted into energon, and many more types of energy would be used by the villains throughout the show's run. The cubes themselves began a visual evolution almost immediately: in "More than Meets the Eye", they were stacked high and filled with the energy in question, then compressed, taking on a layered appearance and an iridescent rainbow coloration, though they also appeared as solid cubes without the layered effect. Immediately following the mini-series, however, in "Transport to Oblivion", the stacking-and-compressing idea was omitted, and the cubes were instead colored a glowing purple-pink. This was the only time the cubes were depicted this way in season one; otherwise, they remained rainbow-hued, and alternated between layered and non-layered, for the remainder of the season and the early portion of season two, until the purple-pink cubes reappeared in "Atlantis, Arise!", and suddenly became the standard depiction of energon for the remainder of the cartoon—and indeed, the default coloration for energon in much future media.
It was very rarely overtly stated, but at this point in time, energon was treated as an exclusively-Decepticon energy; Hound had never heard of it in the pilot episode, while "Attack of the Autobots" presented the Autobots as using recharging chambers to re-energize, and "Traitor" involved Ratchet puzzling over where Mirage would have acquired energon from. This standard began to slip towards the end of the second season, presumably by accident rather than a deliberate change in policy—Seaspray spoke of having an "energon pump" in his body in "Sea Change", while "Masquerade" had the Autobots using energon bars to hold the captive Stunticons, and frustratingly, "War Dawn" depicted energon in use on Cybertron millions of years beforehand. The divide was eventually broken in a more conscious way by The Transformers: The Movie, which had the Autobots using energon cubes and goodies. The movie's original script justified this change by explaining that Autobot City had been built to harness renewable, natural energy sources, thus supplying the Autobots with energon. The Autobots continued to use energon throughout the third season, and far beyond, with the idea of it being of Decepticon purview alone never revisited in any subsequent fiction.
The Generation 1 comic treated energon much like the cartoon did, depicting it as cubes produced by the processing of other energy sources, albeit freely used by both Autobots and Decepticons. The first piece of fiction to re-examine energon was, surprisingly, the short-lived and comparatively obscure 1987 comic Transformers in 3-D by Blackthorne Publishing. The first issue of the series, "The Test", was the first story to explicitly present energon as something other than an artificially-generated fuel, establishing that it also existed as a unique natural element. Through pleasant coincidence, the idea of natural energon returned and gained widespread acknowledgement in the Beast Wars cartoon in 1996, where it was depicted as a highly unstable, naturally-occurring crystalline mineral that emitted dangerous radiation. In 2003, Dreamwave Productions directly incorporated the Beast Wars depiction of energon into its continuity, reconciling it with the liquid energon of Generation 1 by explaining that the liquid could be created by processing either the crystals, or, as seen in the cartoon, other natural resources. Later still, IDW Publishing's continuity would specifically refer to energon created from sources other than natural energon as "artificial".
The series to truly redefine energon was, fittingly enough, the Energon franchise. Taking its cue from Beast Wars, the energon of Energon also existed naturally and was dangerous to Transformers before being processed into a usable form. Beyond these facts, however, it was scarcely recognizable as any of the substances seen in previous fiction, possessed as it was of several strange, unusual, and indeed, nigh-on magical powers, including the ability to cause full-body reconfiguration. Perhaps this was not so surprising, however, as Energon was the first series to depict the fuel as the creation of the nigh-magical Primus, who appeared in this series as a glowing orb of energon itself, and who had produced energon as part of a grand destiny for the Cybertronian race.
The 2007 live-action movie universe revisited the importance Energon had placed upon the titular fuel, establishing it as the source of Transformer life itself. It wasn't name-checked in the first film itself, but rather in the video game adaptation of the movie, where it was revealed to be the energy emitted by the life-giving AllSpark; unsurprising, given that the AllSpark was originally to be called the "Energon Cube". Soon after, in 2008, the Henkei! Henkei! manga published in Comic Bun Bun combined some of the movie's ideas with the more "magical" concepts of Energon, creating the power-boosting, body-transforming, vision-inducing Energon Cube. And while all this was going on, the ongoing comic book story published in the Hasbro Transformers Collectors Club magazine introduced Rarified Energon, revealing that it was not merely a fuel, but actually the base substance from which Transformers were created at the molecular level. The fuel being a product of Primus and the base material of Transformer life were key points in the 2010 novel, Exodus. With this knowledge, it might be safely theorized that the life-giving energy of the Matrix of Leadership is also a form of energon; something that had actually been claimed by the anomalous-at-the-time Transformers Trilogy novels.
Transformers: Prime gave further varieties of energon including a highly toxic form and a speed inducing form. The Aligned continuity family as a whole also introduced and capitalized on dark energon, the blood of Unicron and counter to the substance associated with Primus.
And that's where we are on understanding energon right now. The natural version of it comes from Primus himself, usually just on Cybertron but sometimes on other planets, while the liquid cubes we've been seeing since 1984 are an artificial substitute. Phew. Now, for specifics on energon in all of this various fiction, read on.
Fiction
Generation 1 continuity family
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
- For further information, see: Energon cube, energon-axe, energon mace, energon chains, Energon Transfer Device, energon convertor, energon pump, energon bar, energon goodie, energon infuser
The Transformers cartoon
The history of energon in this universe is confusing at best. It appears to have been in use on Cybertron in the distant past: the inhabitants of the colony world of Paradron were aware of it in the year 2006, despite fleeing Cybertron during civil wars millions of years beforehand, Fight or Flee and nine million years ago, Orion Pax and his Autobot dockworker companions were seen loading and transporting what very much appeared to be energon cubes as part of their daily routine. War Dawn These accounts, then, seem to stand in complete contradiction to the Autobots subsequent apparent ignorance and disuse of the fuel during their early years on Earth and the Decepticons' monopolization of it—but this would not be only time that Transformers were shown to have poor memories of their personal histories.<ref>Optimus Prime and Elita One completely forgot that Alpha Trion was their creator, for instance.</ref>
Over 1984 and 1985, energon cubes were solely seen being used by the Decepticons. The cubes were a self-sustaining forcefield framework with no internal mechanisms, which was capable of converting virtually any form of energy that entered it into liquid energon. The empty cubes initially had to be generated by Soundwave, More than Meets the Eye, Part 1 but other Decepticons eventually gained the ability to manifest them. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 The Autobots' lack of knowledge about energon was displayed almost immediately after Transformers awoke on Earth in 1984; upon learning of Megatron's plan to convert Earthly resources into the fuel, Hound could only report back to Optimus Prime that the villains were intending to create "some kind of cube". More than Meets the Eye, Part 1 Indeed, even Starscream showed a lack of familiarity with the cubes, driven as he was to test them so he could make sure they worked. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2
The Decepticons created energon from a massive amount of varied resources during their time on earth, ranging from conventional electricity, oil and geothermal to more esoteric, extra-dimensional sources like antimatter. The exact nature of the conversion process was never detailed, but usually simply involved taking an empty energon cube and attaching it to, or placing it next to, the energy source to be drained. The cube itself then carried out the conversion, processing the energy into liquid energon that filled the cube. Sometimes, the process required an Energon Transfer Device. Quest for Survival Energon was occasionally influenced by the source materials used to create it, sometimes taking on its properties: Cubes created with anti-matter, for instance, reacted violently due to prolonged exposure to normal matter Roll for It while the especially pure oil of Carbombya yielded a particularly potent "super-energon" that "smelled" different (according to Grimlock) and created an instantly perceptible increase in vigor and strength in those who consumed it. Thief in the Night In addition to powering them personally, the Decepticons occasionally used energon for even more nefarious means; Megatron's arsenal included an energon mace, More than Meets the Eye, Part 2 and the Decepticons once forged energon chains to bind the Autobots with. S.O.S. Dinobots
"What?"
"Well, we're supposed to haggle."
Energon was first seen being used as a currency in the form of chips—by non-Cybertronians, no less—in the den of iniquity known as Sheol, on the asteroid of Monacus, where the Decepticons were running a protection racket, forcing local crime boss Lord Gyconi to pay them a cut of his profits. This dank place was also home to the first documented instance of Autobots running on energon, when Gyconi powered up a group of Autobots he had captured with an unstable brew that quickly depleted and left them defenseless during pit fights. The Gambler
Other than this forced instance, the Autobots refrained from using energon during their first year on Earth: Ratchet was heard to balk at the notion of Mirage having energon cubes, Traitor while the Autobots used recharging chambers to re-energize themselves, rather than drinking energon. Attack of the Autobots Evidently, however, they began experimenting and using energon some time in 1985; when describing his physiology to the Tlalakan Alana, Seaspray noted that he had an energon pump inside him, Sea Change and when they captured the Stunticons, the Autobots used energon bars to imprison them. Masquerade By the year 2005, they had fully embraced energon as their own fuel, and began creating and storing it at Autobot City on Earth, using it to power their attempt to retake Cybertron after the planet fell entirely into Decepticon hands. The Autobots followed the Decepticons' lead in their use of energon cubes, but also created the bite-sized "energon goodie". The Transformers: The Movie By 2006, use of energon had become widespread enough in the galaxy that it was on the menu at a neutral alien space station visited by Sandstorm and Octane, although their energon was served in the unique form of small orange wedges. Starscream's Ghost
Liquid energon is measured in astroliters. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3 Transformers consume energon in the same manner as humans eat or drink: by simply putting it in their open mouths. The liquid can be drunk from a whole cube, leaving the empty framework behind, Microbots but the framework itself is obviously safe to "eat" as well, as Transformers have also been seen biting into cubes, breaking pieces off to chew on, and in the case of particularly large individuals, eating them whole. Thief in the Night. Notably, breaking a chunk off a cube does not damage the structural integrity of either the cube or the removed piece; evidently, the forcefield resolves itself around the broken area to prevent spillage of the precious contents. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3 Once consumed, energon is passed through an energon convertor within the Transformer's systems. Quest for Survival Excessive consumption of energon results in "over-energizing", a state of inebriation accompanied by all the singing, burbling and reminiscing that you might expect. Microbots In emergency cases, a shot of energon can be injected directly into a Transformer's system with an energon infuser. The Rebirth, Part 1
Japanese cartoon continuity
- For further information, see: energon wine, Energon Z
By the year 2011, Earth had also embraced the potential that energon held to solve its own energy crisis. Earth's ambassador to Cybertron, Spike Witwicky, worked closely with the Autobots and teams of human scientists to develop new sources of energon, which was closely stockpiled, guarded and rationed between Cybertron, Earth and the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet Athenia. Wheelie had little tolerance for energon wine, over-energizing after a single glass, The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok while Spike viewed the energon as so important that when the energy-starved planet Sandra sent a request for aid, he had to crunch the numbers to see if it was viable to share any! SOS from Planet Sandra
The Decepticons also continued energon production, spreading their reach to more and more planets, raiding the worlds of Hive, Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!! Twin Star, Battle for Defense of the False Planet Daros, Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!! Paradise Head Formation of Friendship and the Pirate Planet Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship as part of a master plan by Galvatron to accumulate a huge quantity of the fuel, which he would then use to help him integrate the very Earth into his body. The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg
Galvatron's rival for leadership, Scorponok, did not place nearly as much significance on energon, instead experimenting with the deadly plasma energy to achieve his goals. He still drank it, though, and being an evil mastermind, he did enjoy swishing it around in a snifter, because he was classy like that. The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok Sixshot also enjoyed taking his energon in a glass, and was less prone to crushing them in fits of melodramatic rage than Scorponok was. Terror! The Six Shadows
Energon fell out of focus after Scorponok's Decepticons were forced off Earth; the forces of Devil Z who terrorized the planet a few years later were not interested in gathering energy, Super-God Masterforce while Deathsaurus's campaign against Earth in 2025 targeted a wide array of different energy types, not bothering with the energon conversion process. Victory The Autobots did continue to experiment with the fuel on the planet Micro, however, and developed an even more potent version known as "Energon Z", which became a target for Violen Jiger and his Nine Great Demon Generals. Zone
Marvel Comics continuity
- For further information, see: Transformer fuel, Energon Stick
Although energon was not mentioned by name until the Transformers had been on Earth for a while, it was quickly established that Earthly fuels were incompatible with Cybertronian systems and needed to undergo some kind of conversion process before they were consumable. Power Play! This Transformer fuel was the subject of several struggles between the Autobots and Decepticons, and was also shown to be intrinsic to several important cultural ceremonies like the Rite of Oneness and the Rite of the Autobrand. Warrior School! Rock and Roll-Out!
Energon made its first named appearance with the debut of a power siphon invented by Shockwave, which was capable of converting multiple energy sources into energon cubes. After testing it out on oil from a captured Blackrock Enterprises offshore oil platform, the villains then took it to a Brick Springhorn concert and used it to make cubes from the raucous sonic energy of the singer's performance. Rock and Roll-Out!
The Autobots also went on to make smart use of energon: Wheeljack invented a Geothermal Generator to transform the Earth's underground heat into energon cubes, successfully producing so many that the Autobots were able to power the entire Ark and get the ship airborne again. Used Autobots They were also seen using a concentrated form of energon, green in color and much smaller and less-explosive than normal cubes, which was employed as currency when dealing with alien races. Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?
Starscream complained to himself about an energon shortage on Earth and planned to use Hector Dialonzo as some kind of super-Powermaster. The Human Factor!
In an alternate future timeline, when the Autobots were stranded on the Planet of Junk, Hot Rod tried making peace with the native Junkions using the universal greeting and the offering of energon sticks. Junkion leader Wreck-Gar was most enthralled by the "tasty sticks". The Final Battle!
In a different alternate future, Galvatron conquered the western hemisphere of Earth and planned on allowing the European Crisis Coalition to nuke North and South America to smithereens. He would have hid behind the shield generated at the East Coast Decepticon Powerbase while various powerbases converted the resulting radiation into energon. It didn't work out that way. Rhythms of Darkness!
Transformers in 3D
This universe is home to the first documented appearance of the true element of energon. The conversion process for transforming the element into a consumable form involves combining it with various other molecules, resulting in what is termed "pure energon". While not discussed explicitly, this would imply the existence of an "impure" energon that can be manufactured without use of the element.
True energon was evidently rare enough that it's discovery was cause for immediate action, as evidenced when both the Autobots and Decepticons mobilized with haste to investigate a potential source of it on a barren asteroid far from Cybertron. Puzzlingly, their quest led to some small, organic alien creatures, and each faction took one back to their base for study. It was Cyclonus, studying the creatures' biological processes, who realized that their excrement was true energon! Before anything could be done with this information, however, a battle broke out between the two faction, and the two aliens wandered off, revealed to actually be supremely intelligent lifeforms who had been employed to spy on the Transformers by the Quintessons! The Test
European toy bio continuity
- For further information, see: Energon figure
The many deadly functions of the dimension-traversing Overlord's body were controlled by "Energon figures", small humanoid forms that could transform into engines and connect to his body. To stop this monolithic horror, the Autobots stole and duplicated the technology, providing the trio known as the Motorvators with Energon Figures that gave them new powers: Flame's Energon Figure had an analytical compu-unit that gave him enhanced problem solving abilities, Gripper's provided the dual functions of wide-sweep radar and sonic scanner, while Lightspeed's was equipped with micro lens photo-record equipment.<ref>Overlord, Gripper, Flame and Lightspeed's bios and packaging blurbs.</ref>
Beast Era
Beast Wars cartoon
- For further information, see: Energon crystal, energon radiation, energon discharge virus, energon storm, energon armor, anti-energon
Following the information on the Golden Disk to prehistoric Earth, the teams of Maximals and Predacons under the command of Optimus Primal and Megatron discovered the planet to be teeming with natural crystalline energon. In fact, the element was in such abundance that it had blanketed the planet with an all-encompassing field of energon radiation, which threatened to overload the Transformers' unprotected bodies and send them into stasis lock. As the organic creatures of the planet were unaffected by the radiation, the Maximals and Predacons adopted beast modes with organic skins in order to shield themselves from its harmful effects, able only to transform into robot mode outside of their shielded headquarters for comparatively short periods of time before the energon build-up in their systems became dangerous. Beast Wars (Part 1) Manipulation of the crystals was a particularly challenging task, given their explosive instability; among the Predacons, only Tarantulas had the skill to carve them up safely. Beast Wars (Part 2) If a significant mass of crystals exploded, the radiation could interact with the local atmosphere and induce an energon storm that would see energon lance from the sky as lightning. Bad Spark While it was experimented with, used to power various machines and even weaponized on occasion, neither the Maximals nor the Predacons were ever seen actually consuming any energon during their Beast Wars on Earth, but it certainly did run through their bodies, as demonstrated rather violently when Rhinox was infected with an energon discharge virus that left him sneezing and...otherwise shooting energon out of his body. The Low Road
By all accounts, the existence of natural energon on a planet other than Cybertron was not uncommon in this universe, but it was eventually revealed that the energon was not there naturally: Earth had been seeded with the crystals by the mysterious aliens known as the Vok.<ref>Beast Wars writer Larry DiTillio envisioned the Vok as placing the energon on Earth for future generations of humanity to find and use as a clean energy source.</ref> Viewing the intrusion of the Transformers onto the planet as a disruption to enigmatic experiments they were conducting on Earth, the Vok attempted to "sterilize" their work-surface by activating their orbital Planet Buster weapon, and blasting the planet with its energy beam. Other Voices, Part 2 This beam caused most of the planet's energon crystals to explode before it was destroyed by Optimus Primal, but a not-insubstantial portion of them remained, some of which were transformed into a more stable form referred to as "energon cubes". Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2) These rarely-seen "natural" cubes are different to the artificial energon cubes seen in other universes; they remain composed of crystal, but are much safer to handle and to generally be around, unless they are cracked, at which point the radiation locked within them will be violently released. Tangled Web
Japanese cartoon continuity
- For further information, see: Energon Matrix
At some point over the three centuries that followed the end of the Great War, a new energon-powered device was created: the Energon Matrix. Sculpted in the likeness of the legendary Matrix of Leadership, these objects of power were given to Convoy-ranked Maximals, and were capable of supplying huge boosts of energon to their wielders in moments of desperate need, which could be further magnified if more than one Energon Matrix was used together. These power boosts could massively enhance the wielder's physical attributes, usually accompanied by spontaneous recoloration, such as when Optimus Primal and Lio Convoy used theirs to become the super-strong "Burning Convoy" and super-fast "Flash Lio Convoy", Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger! or be released as mighty energy blasts, as when Big Convoy combined his with his Big Cannon to create a weapon powerful enough to obliterate Unicron. The Final Battle The Matrices may also have some connection to Vector Sigma, the mega-computer at the heart of Cybertron, since it was able to communicate through Big Convoy's Matrix, making him say what it wanted. Big Convoy, Move Out
When Optimus Primal and Lio Convoy were caught up in the dimensional fissure known as the Blasty Zone, they found themselves teleported from their respective time periods to Earth circa 2004. Here, they teamed up with Optimus Prime, and their Energon Matrices apparently unlocked the power of an Energon Matrix within Prime himself, as he was soon using his in tandem with theirs to create shatteringly powerful attacks like the "Double Convoy Tornado" Fight! The Group of the Strongest Commanders! and the "Lio Typhoon Arrow". The Lio Convoy Typhoon Enters
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
- For further information, see: Energon Pools
Natural Energon exists in crystalline form both on Cybertron and select other planets throughout the galaxy, with Earth being home to a particularly high concentration of it. Transformers can power themselves off the crystals by using ambient absorption circuits in their body to soak up their energy, but this is always a dicey prospect, given the explosive nature of the mineral. For safety's sake, the crystals are usually processed into a liquid state before they consumed by Transformers, at which point the Energon can be taken orally in robot mode or loaded directly into the Transformer's fuel tank in alternate mode. This processed, liquid Energon can also be synthesised from other energy resources—an unfortunate necessity, given the rarity of the natural crystals on Cybertron after the Transformers' war took its toll on the planet. More Than Meets The Eye #8
Approximately 3.5 million years ago, Cybertron's supply of Energon was completely depleted, and the entire planet and all the Transformers on it were deactivated for a long, pre-programmed period known as the Great Shutdown. During this time, Cybertron slowly regenerated, and by the time the Transformers came back online around 3000 years ago, Energon was back in supply. With Cybertron restored to peace, the fuel was no longer a scarcity; by 2003, the High Council Pavilions' Energon Pools were recharged Brothers' Burden and the Transformers had even started canning the fuel in Kremzeek-branded cans, which were enjoyed by Ironhide and Prowl in a moment of riverside relaxation Skyfire and served at Autobot strategy meetings along with small Energon cubes. Original Sin
The Transformers Trilogy
Pure energon is a silvery-yellow liquid that exists naturally on certain planets, and is the power source of the Matrix of Leadership. During a battle with the alien Keepers in Las Vegas, a subterranean reservoir of the fuel was discovered beneath the city that was of such size that Optimus Prime claimed he had never seen so much of it in one place before. With an American nuclear missile streaking towards Vegas in order to eliminate both the Keepers and the Transformers, Prime immersed himself in the energon pool, supercharging the Matrix and suffusing his entire body with the energon's power. With this added power, Prime used the Matrix to contain and redirect the nuclear blast, apparently destroying the Keepers while protecting the rest of the city. Annihilation
IDW Generation 1 continuity
- For further information, see: Regenesis, Ore-13, Innermost energon
In this universe, natural energon is known only to exist on Cybertron, Escalation #1 and in the pre-war days, Megatron was among the workers that mined it. Megatron Origin #1 Unfortunately for the Transformers, their war stripped Cybertron of its resources, energon included, precipitating a cataclysm that ultimately rendered the planet sterile and uninhabitable. Stormbringer #1 With their homeworld lost to them, the Autobots and Decepticons subsequently scattered across the galaxy, seeking new sources of fuel, subsisting on "artificial energon derivatives" and "foul local brews" Infiltration #6 that Cliffjumper described as "nowhere near as good as the real thing". Spotlight: Cliffjumper Several seemingly dead and empty planetoids contained underground reservoirs of liquid "pseudo-energon", which according to a Guardminder was about 20-25% as fuel efficient as proper energon. The Hunting Party
Millennia beforehand, the Decepticon logician Shockwave correctly predicted that Cybertron's resources would eventually dry up, and formulated the Regenesis program as a countermeasure to the inevitable energon drought. Distilling energon, he created a series of thirteen ores with which he seeded specially-selected planets—including Earth—where energon would then flourish and grow, so that he could harvest it in the centuries to come.
As Shockwave visited each of the planets, he observed that some ores had failed to take root, and others had mutated and gained bizarre properties over time, life, death and more. On one world, however—Earth—the thirteenth ore had flourished to the point that the planet had begun to undergo geological collapse, generating an atmosphere that was hazardous to Transformer life. Intending to regulate the process with global dampers, Shockwave was stopped by the Dynobots and buried in a volcanic eruption and leaving the ore to mature into an exceptionally powerful energon variant. Spotlight: Shockwave
Investigating Shockwave's research, the scheming Bludgeon learned of the Regenesis program, and travelled to Earth in the 1980s to harvest a sample of the super-powerful energon. Spotlight: Soundwave Using this "Ultra-Energon", as he termed it, Bludgeon reactivated the monstrous Thunderwing to facilitate his agenda of conquest. Stormbringer Meanwhile, a team of Decepticons led by Starscream independently discovered the existence of Ore-13, and initiated infiltration protocol to conquer the planet and harvest it. Seeing in Ore-13 the potential power to help him overthrow Megatron, Starscream powered himself up with the energon and staged his own coup. Infiltration #6 It was the instability of the Ultra-Energon that was the downfall of both Starscream and Thunderwing: although the additional power it provided them was undeniable, it burnt out very quickly, at which point they were left extremely weakened and easily bested.
The methods by which energon is distilled and absorbed in this universe are not particularly detailed. Natural energon is mined as ore, and undergoes processing into an unknown state, after which it has only been shown being absorbed via a delivery capsule, a large full body capsule which the Transformer enters. Even what goes on inside the capsule is unknown; all that can be discerned is that when the process is over, a cloud of gas colored in energon's traditional purple-pink escapes as the capsule re-opens. Infiltration #6 In contrast, Cliffjumper required no capsule to take in artificial energon from a convertor; it was simply transferred through a tube that ran from the device into a port in his forearm. Spotlight: Cliffjumper Energon flows within Transformers' bodies in purple-pink liquid form, which is prone to splattering eeeeverywhere if the Transformer receives serious injury. The Transformers: Megatron Origin The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers
Following a failed Decepticon invasion of Earth, humans learned to produce yellow-colored energon, but it was a difficult and costly process and the substance could only be stored for a few months before growing unstable, making it nonviable as an alternate energy source. The Land Ironclads Skywatch ran experiments on energon and used it to power their crash suits, which were based on Cybertronian technology. ...For All Mankind North Korea was able to produce 7,000 cubic feet of energon per month, which according to Skywatch was enough to power five Transformers. The Land Ironclads
Henkei! Henkei! Comic Bun Bun manga
- For further information, see: Energon Cube
This universe's Cybertron gained its supply of energon from the colossal "Energon Cube", a solid mass of energon bigger than a starship. When it was lost to the reaches of space, Optimus Prime and Megatron each led two small teams in pursuit of it, but they were unable to intercept the Cube before it crash-landed on Earth and shattered into innumerable fragments that were scattered all across the planet. Kingdom of Giants Additionally, the release of energy caused by the cube's shattering endowed a special ability in some newborn babies within range of the impact wave: they became Boosters, legendary beings able to generate and control energon. Wataru's Power
The Autobots and Decepticons hid themselves amongst human society to search for the cube shards and the Boosters. Both sides were able to accumulate substantial portions of energon, but only the Autobots were able to locate any Boosters: first was Akira Kihara, who sadly died using his powers to save Optimus Prime, Time of Resurrection and second was Wataru Hoshinoumi. When they first met Wataru, the Autobots were unaware that he was a Booster, but Optimus Prime soon realized the truth after showing Wataru the chunk of the Energon Cube that they had recovered.
When Wataru touched the shard, a wave of energon swept over the Autobots, healing their wounds and offering them a mystic, cross-dimensional vision of another time and place. Kingdom of Giants
As a Booster, Wataru was able to aid his Autobot allies by temporarily increasing their strength, healing their injuries, generating protective forcefields and powering up their weapons, as he did when he transformed Optimus Prime's energon-axe into a sword that the Autobot leader used to grievously wound Megatron. Optimus Prime's Secret Cyclonus sought to heal his leader by placing him in a bath of molten energon cubes, but Optimus Prime tracked him down while he was still recovering. Megatron flew into a rage at the sight of Prime, and the energon began reacting to his furious emotions, levitating and whirling around. The maddened Megatron seized one of the cubes and bit deeply into it, triggering an explosive release of power. Consumed by the explosion, Megatron emerged, transformed by the power of energon into Galvatron! Creation! The New Emperor of Destruction!!
Robots in Disguise
- For further information, see: Energon chains.
Energon played only a minimal role in this universe, as the Predacons came to Earth in search of Fortress Maximus, rather than for more traditional energy theft. It did crop up from time to time, though: the Predacons' craft, the Megastar, ran on energon cubes, and they carried out a few heists to gather up Earthly energy sources they could process to create them—though flashlight batteries were not an especially viable option for conversion. An Explosive Situation Either the conversion or the process by which the cubes powered the ship involved a smelter. The Fish Test At one point, the Predacons created chains from energon and staged a trap for the Autobots using them. Sideburn's Obsession
Energon is ingested through an "energon intake" The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus and comes in "leaded" and "unleaded" varieties—Sky-Byte swore off the latter when he found he didn't have the energy to keep up with the speedy Skid-Z. Skid Z's Choice
Unicron Trilogy
- For further information, see: energon star, energon weapon, Energon Sword, Energon Saber, energon tower, energon grid, Energon Blaster, Energon band, Energon Orb, energon gas, Super Energon, Energon Volant Accumulator, energon tomato
Energon cartoon
Energon exists naturally on multiple planets throughout the universe in the form of glowing golden ore. Following the end of The Unicron Battles in 2010, the allied forces of the Autobots and Decepticons united with humankind to mine Energon for the betterment of both their species. The Transformers' reawakened creator-god Primus—manifesting in this universe as a glowing white orb of Energon itself—bestowed upon the young human Kicker Jones the ability to sense the location of Energon, Cybertron City and Kicker's father, Brian Jones, used his son's new power to find Energon deposits on Mars, in the asteroid belt and on multiple locations on Earth. The Transformers and humans set up Cybertron Cities in all these various locations to mine the ore: Mars City, Asteroid City, Ocean City, Plains City in England, Jungle City in Mexico, Desert City in Egypt, Blizzard City in the Arctic, Transformers Energon Official Guidebook and later Lunar City on the Moon. Kicker Beware!
In its unprocessed form, Energon ore is bursting with raw energy, and hence hazardous to normal Transformer life. The only Transformers capable of safely handling energon are the Omnicons, whose bodies became immunized to the ore's hazardous effects after years of mining it in space, and the Terrorcons. Survival Instincts These master Energon sculptors can absorb the energy from Energon ore into their bodies, and then generate sold-state Energon stars that can be given to other Autobots to temporarily boost their strength. The Stars are also capable of generating Energon weapons like spears and axes, though these drastically shorten the Star's lifespan. Scorpinok In one particularly puzzling instance, the interaction of multiple Energon Stars with Optimus Prime's Matrix of Leadership led to the creation of the Energon Blaster. Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary Energon can also be processed into a liquid form that can be used as a medicinal bath capable of incredible feats like limb regeneration. Megatron Raid This refined, positively-charged "Autobot" Energon is typically red in color.
In 2020, trapped in the ruined, deactivated body of Unicron, the insane alien Alpha Q realized Energon's immense potential to create, and using what little Energon remained in the planet-eater's husk, created the Terrorcons from the very substance of Unicron to raid the Autobots' Energon mines. It was Alpha Q's intention to use indefinable, mystic properties of the Energon they would gather to recreate all the worlds that Unicron had consumed over the millennia. A Tale of Two Heros To rally the disenfranchised Decepticons to his side, Alpha Q forged an Energon Sword from the Spark of Megatron, who had been trapped in Unicron's body for a decade. Megatron's Sword Megatron, however, was able to siphon off some of the Energon the Terrorcons returned with and crafted a new body for himself, ousting Alpha Q (who escaped in Unicron's disembodied head) and taking control of the Terrorcons. Under Megatron's directions, the Terrorcons gathered Energon to rebuild Unicron himself, so that Megatron could use him as a weapon. Megatron Resurrected The Terrorcons were created to be immune to the harmful effects of raw Energon; they consume it orally, and convert it into green, negatively-charged "Decepticon" Energon Stars internally. Like the Autobots' Omnicon-made stars, these could be used by the Decepticons as power-enhancers, but they apparently remained unsafe to touch directly: When Tidal Wave tried to grab one, he received a debilitating jolt of energy that scarred his body with jagged lightning patterns. Scorpinok The Terrorcons were also not the only thing Alpha Q used Energon to create: using the small supply he had left after escaping from Megatron, he restored the deceased Starscream to life. Unfortunately, he ran out halfway through the process, leaving Starscream incomplete, a sort of Energon "ghost", whose body constantly shifted from physical to incorporeal. Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary
Setting off into space to stop Megatron's plans, the Autobots left Earth protected by Doctor Jones' newest Energon innovation: the Energon grid, a protective field of plasma-state Energon generated by energon towers positioned at each of the Cybertron Cities. Battle of the Asteroid Belt The mechanism was later duplicated on Cybertron, where the towers were fuelled by gaseous green Energon. Battle Stations Earth's defense had to be sacrificed for the greater good, however, when Kicker convinced his father to beam all of Earth's Energon to Alpha Q, who used it to charge Unicron's head. Alpha Q rammed the positively-charged head into Unicron's body, causing the release of the "sparks" of all the planets Unicron had destroyed. Open Fire! Trying to destroy Alpha Q, Megatron triggered the release of all the negatively-charged Energon in Unicron's body, causing a violent reaction between the two kinds of Energon that tore open a fissure in space. Ripped Up Space
In the newly created dimension this fissure led to, Unicron's head became a glowing sun, nurturing all the reborn planets with its life-giving Energon light. Consequently, however, all of the planets were rich in Energon themselves, making them ripe targets for Decepticon pillaging. Protection Alas, the villains were able to gather enough Energon to restore and reactivate Unicron's body, and even reclaimed his head, extinguishing the Energon sun it had become and killing Alpha Q in the process. A Heroic Battle To stop Megatron's schemes, Primus transmitted Energon from Cybertron to the Autobots, recoloring and powering them up, and transforming the combined Optimus Prime and Omega Supreme into a planetary-scale giant. Optimus Supreme Prime and Omega were able to destroy Unicron's body, but Alpha Q's planets were in danger of dying due to the destruction of Energon sun. Unicron Perishes Salvation came in the form of Primus' greatest creation: a reservoir of liquid blue Super Energon, sealed away beneath Cybertron's surface, from a time when Autobots and Decepticons were allies, intended to usher in a new era of peace. Ambition This Energon had incredibly potent transformational abilities: it transformed Megatron into Galvatron, recolored and powered up Starscream, Wishes and turned Insecticon Terrorcons into giants. Decepticon Army A second immersion transformed Galvatron into a giant as well, at which point he was possessed by Unicron's still-living Spark, but Primus orchestrated his downfall by gathering up the entire reservoir of Super-Energon and transforming it into a new foundling sun. Struggling against Unicron's control, Megatron flung himself into the sun, and both he and the planet-eater were seemingly destroyed as it burst into life. This new Energon sun took up position in Alpha Q's universe, nurturing his planets once more. The Sun
Energon comic
In this universal stream, Energon's raw form is a green gas. It normally undergoes processing before use for optimal efficiency, but even in its crude gaseous form, it remains a very effective power source. Energon Volant Accumulator planes are used to collect Energon vapour before it is lost to the atmosphere. Multiplicity, Pt. 4
The existence of pockets of energon gas on Earth was discovered by the alternative energy research and development company Alterenergy, who dubbed it "01 Source". Unknown the public, the discovery was the work of Alterenergy consultant Brian Jones, whose son Kicker had the unexplained ability to detect Energon. This made Alterenergy a target for the Terrorcons, a cell of Decepticons who had been recruited by the evil alien Alpha Quintesson, who bade them gather Energon to reactivate his master Unicron. What Lies Beneath Attacking Alterenergy's Western Australia facility, the Terrorcons stole Energon using siphons that condensed the gas into green liquid form, which they then used to power themselves up with.
Thankfully, the Autobots arrived, able to take on their Energon-empowered foes thanks to their new combining abilities. What Lies Beneath, Part Three Following the Autobots' victory, What Lies Beneath, Part Four they entered into an alliance with the humans, and began setting up drilling sites around the Earth to replenish their own dwindling supplies of Energon. Omni-Potent
Energon can be shaped and moulded by the small group of evolved Mini-Cons known as Omnicons, who can fire it as blasts, create energy-constructs from it and sculpt it into powerful weapons. What Lies Beneath, Part Four Kicker also discovered that his energon-manipulating powers had evolved when he was attacked by Decepticons over an Energon pocket in Turkey and was able to channel and redirect the energy into the Omnicons. Multiplicity, Pt. 4
Live-action film series
- For further information see: AllSpark, Energon drone, Dual Energon Swords, Energon detector
Cybertron's source of Energon in this universe was the legendary, life-giving AllSpark cube, which sustained the planet and the Transformer race through its constant generation of the fuel, presumably in the form of crystals or ore. It was the Energon produced by the AllSpark that gave life to the first Cybertronians, the Dynasty of Primes, creating them from Cybertron's metal surface itself. The Primes were soon to learn that the AllSpark's supply of Energon was not infinite: it required periodic recharging to continue Energon generation, and the only source of energy viable enough was that of suns. Using Star Harvesters, the Primes converted the suns of lifeless star systems into Energon, which fuelled the AllSpark, in turn allowing it to generate exponentially greater amounts of the energy, thereby allowing Cybertron to thrive, and more and more Transformers to be given life. Defiance #4
Millions of years later, at the height of the civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons, Optimus Prime had the AllSpark blasted into space, to put its power beyond the reach of Megatron. Without the AllSpark's constant supply of Energon, however, Cybertron began to atrophy, eventually becoming a ruin of a planet, uninhabitable by the Transformers. They too took to the stars, searching for the lost cube: the Autobots to reinvigorate Cybertron, Megatron planning to use its Energon to bring to life the machinery of other worlds, forging an even greater army. Transformers Without true Energon from the Allspark, the Transformers were forced instead to subsist on a manufactured brew processed out of other natural resources on the other worlds they visited. Although much more stable that the Energon of most universes, if this artificial Energon were hypothetically detonated, the resultant explosion would be large enough to obliterate most of a good-sized continent. The Veiled Threat
The AllSpark landed on Earth in what would become Colorado, directly on top of an entrance into a mysterious network of subterranean caves that criss-crossed the entire planet. The cube's Energon radiation was funnelled into the tunnels for thousands of years, stimulating the growth of Energon ore, and mutating the animals that lived there into huge monstrosities. The Energon was discovered in caves in the Sierra Nevada mountains by gentleman adventurers Walter Simmons and Theodore Joseph Wells in the late 19th Century, Original but while these two men would go on to found the organization Sector Seven, dedicated to protecting the Earth against the Transformers, they would not realize that this discovery was connected to their larger mission until they found the AllSpark and excavated it in 1913, uncovering more of the substance in the caves beneath it. They also discovered the abandoned Seeker Jetfire, who was looking for the cube himself, and who accidentally triggered a surge of Energon from it that overloaded his systems and brought a nearby crane, car, gun and radio to life. Irreplaceable Energon was the subject of some study on Earth in later years; scientist Dina Morgan experimented with the energy potential of converting the crystals into liquid, and a memo about her research was later discovered by Bumblebee during his advance recon on the planet in the early 21st century. Transformers: Rise of the Chevy Autobots
In 2007, Bumblebee was joined on the planet by more representatives of both factions, leading to a battle for possession of the AllSpark in Mission City, during which a wave of Energon was released that brought several Earth machines to life. Ultimately, the cube was destroyed when Sam Witwicky plunged it into Megatron's Spark, overloading and apparently destroying him. Transformers Following the destruction of the cube and the defeat of the Decepticons, the Autobots allied with humankind, and, lacking the time to confirm the presence of true Energon on Earth, instead began stockpiling manufactured Energon at NEST base on Diego Garcia. When questioned about the substance by Robert Epps, Ironhide explained that it was basically useless to humanity; they could not use it to power weapons the way the Transformers did (like Optimus Prime's Dual Energon Swords) because its chemical composition was far beyond their ability to master. The Veiled Threat
In 2009, the small fragments that remained of the AllSpark cube were revealed to still possess Energon-generating powers when one was stolen by the Decepticons and used to restore Megatron to life. At the bidding of his master, a renegade member of the Dynasty of Primes known as The Fallen, Megatron uncovered a hidden Star Harvester The Fallen had built in Egypt nineteen thousand years beforehand, planning to use it to convert Earth's sun into Energon that could be used to sire a new race of Decepticon hatchlings. Another shard brought a group of kitchen appliances in Sam Witwicky's home to life; Sam later used it to rouse Jetfire from his years-long slumber. Jetfire was living proof of the fact that without regular consumption of Energon of any kind, a Transformer's body and mind begin to slowly break down, rusting away in a kind of robotic senility. By combining with Jetfire, Optimus Prime gained the power to stop Megatron and The Fallen and destroy the Star Harvester. Revenge of the Fallen
Not long after the Autobot victory in Egypt, Ironhide stumbled across a cave full of natural Energon, and was nearly brainwashed by the Decepticon Mindwipe into harvesting it for the Decepticons. Cyber Missions 5 Later still, Ratchet and Sideswipe were seen transporting a cargo of Energon cubes, but whether they were created from the natural Energon Ironhide found or just more manufactured Energon is unknown. Cyber Missions 10 Within a few years, NEST developed Energon detectors that could alert them to the approach of Cybertronian lifeforms, and had them stationed around major cities, forcing the Decepticons to withdraw to unmonitored regions of the planet like Namibia, Africa. Dark of the Moon
Energon flows inside Transformers' bodies in a liquid form through a structure akin to a human's circulatory system. It is prone to gushing out when a Transformer receives debilitating injuries—glowing blue Energon showered from the wounds sustained by several Transformers during the battle of Mission City, Transformers while a golden form of liquid Energon oozed from The Fallen's dying frame<ref>Hasbro's online Transformers glossary.</ref> when Optimus Prime killed him. Revenge of the Fallen In fact, quite a lot of differently-colored fluids were seen slooshing and squirting from the Transformers during the quest for the Matrix of Leadership and the battles over Sentinel Prime's space bridge, including a disturbingly blood-like red liquid, but whether or not any of these were Energon is unclear. Revenge of the Fallen Dark of the Moon
Transformers Collectors' Club comics
- For further information, see: Rarified Energon
On the second leg of their multiverse-hopping journey, amnesiac Transformers Skyfall and Landquake discovered a pool of liquid energon beneath the jungles of South America, being watched over a similar Transformer named Breakaway. Crossing Over: Part 5 They were informed by Breakway's assistant, the computer system known as the Caretaker, that the pool was no ordinary energon: it was Rarified Energon, the base substance that made up Transformers' bodies and sparks. Skyfall, Landquake and Breakway were, in fact, components of Nexus Prime, one of the thirteen original Transformers, who had been tasked with guarding Rarified Energon by Primus eons in the past. When Nexus Prime had been divided into five separate robots in order to protect the secret of Prima's Star Saber, Rarified Energon was left without a guardian, and was consequently secreted away in the corners of the multiverse—for if it should be destroyed, then it would be impossible for more Transformer life to be created. The Caretaker opened a cross-dimensional portal to take the three Transformers to the universe where they would find the fourth of their number, assuring them that the Rarified Energon would be teleported away to a new safe location once they had left. Crossing Over: Part 6
Animated
- For further information, see: Energon farm
Crystalline formations of natural energon are cultivated on Cybertron at energon farms, a menial task that earns workers a reputation as hayseeds despite its extreme importance, Autoboot Camp The Stunti-Con Job and stored in energon cubes. Despite the Autobots being in full control of Cybertron and no excess energon being expended in a war effort, the substance remains extremely precious, as evidenced by the risks cadet Sentinel took when he and fellow cadets Optimus and Elita-1 attempted to recover a huge stockpile of it from a starship that had crashed on the planet Archa Seven centuries beforehand. Sentinel called this "AllSpark-infused energon", but there was nothing to indicate that it was any different from normal energon, suggesting that the energies of the life-giving AllSpark are known to be shared by energon in this universe, as they are in others. Along Came a Spider
Contrary to the hardships faced by Transformers in other universes, when Optimus Prime and Megatron's teams were stranded on Earth with no energon, they proved quite able to survive on simple oil. Back on Cybertron, though, energon remained on the menu at Maccadam's Old Oil House, where varieties served included Z and Ultra blends from various different planets, as well as energon-on-a-stick for the little 'bots. The AllSpark Almanac II Energon is used to power the machines and weapons of Cybertron, like those of the Cybertron Elite Guard's Fortress Maximus, This Is Why I Hate Machines and small energon cubes are used as blasting charges in construction. Endgame, Part I
Shattered Glass
- For further information, see: Energon rod
The energon of this twisted mirror universe is superficially different to the more recognizable fuel of most worlds. Here, it is a sickly green-yellow in color, is stored primarily in rods, and is considered by the dimensionally-displaced Cliffjumper to have a strange aftertaste when compared to the energon of his home dimension. It remains used as a form of currency among Transformers.
Among the natural sources of energon on this universe's Cybertron are bright blue crystalline deposits that form on the shores of the Rust Sea, when the sea's innate trace energon content is solidified by evaporation. Dungeons & Dinobots
Aligned
- For further information, see: Energon battle pistol, Energon grenade, Energon repair ray, Geosynchronous Energon Bridge, Dark Energon, Energon prod, Energon Harvester, Synthetic Energon, Energon shard, Tox-En, Red Energon
Alpha Trion explained that Energon is an emanation of Primus, and a different form of that which makes up a Transformer and everything else on Cybertron. Transformers: Exodus Energon occurs naturally in the form of blue crystals, Darkness Rising, Part 1 though these sometimes resemble normal rocks. Deus ex Machina It is stored within Energon cubes, Masters & Students the framework for which can be produced by the Decepticon Soundwave, War for Cybertron and is fashioned into smaller ingots for oral ingestion by Transformers. Transformers: Exodus
In Cybertronian prehistory, the ancients moved Energon by reconstituting and concentrating it into its most rarefied form, that of pure energy, which is transmitted between arrays such as the Geosynchronous Energon Bridge. Transformers: Exodus
Similarly, they used Energon Harvesters to draw this energy right out of Energon crystals. Deus ex Machina Later, during the Golden Age, a formula for a synthetic version of Energon was developed; apparently never put into production, this formula was programmed into a data cylinder and sent into space. T.M.I.
When war broke out on Cybertron, Energon was weaponized in the form of the Energon battle pistol and the Energon prod (the latter an instrument of torture that would later prove to have a particularly deleterious, if temporary, effect on the human neural system Darkness Rising, Part 4), but also found use on the battlefield as an implement of healing in medical tools like the Energon grenade, which releases a localized aura of Energon that restores the vigor of Transformers within the grenade's range. Medics were also known to carry Energon repair rays, more focused tools that fire a beam of Energon to heal the injured. Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC) As the war depleted Energon supplies on Cybertron, both sides tried hiding their stockpiles of this valuable commodity on many other planets, including Earth. Darkness Rising, Part 4 The Decepticons even began experimenting with Energon's poisonous counterpart, Dark Energon, a product of Unicron in the same way that true Energon is a product of Primus. Using it, the Decepticons corrupted the core of Cybertron, and although the Autobots restored it, the planet's Energon supply had been crippled, necessitating that the Transformers depart Cybertron so that it would be able to recharge and regenerate enough Energon to once again support life. War for Cybertron
By coincidence or design, the Transformers' war eventually carried them back to Earth in the 21st century. After an undetailed initial clash, Megatron retreated into space to gather up an army, and Starscream, left in charge of the Decepticons on Earth, set about mining the Energon that had flourished on the planet, claiming there was enough there to repower Cybertron. Transformers: Prime (graphic novel) The shifting geology of Earth occasionally stymied his attempts, as some deposits had become unmineable since originally being stored; the largest of these was labelled "ND-7 Class". Out of His Head After three years, however, Megatron returned, having recovered more Dark Energon from the depths of space Darkness Rising, Part 2, but he was fortunately stopped by the Autobots from using it to reanimate Cybertron's dead. Darkness Rising, Part 5
Optimus Prime's Autobots later discovered the data cylinder containing the synthetic Energon formula, but its contents were beamed directly into Bulkhead's brain. The formula threatened to wipe his mind, so he was only able to transcribe a portion of it before it was necessary to remove it shoot it off into space. T.M.I. Ratchet then attempted to complete the formula, but the result of experiments was a green liquid form of Energon which supercharged his physical attributes at the loss of his mental stability. In the throes of this rage, Ratchet attacked a Decepticon mine and was wounded by Megatron, allowing Knock Out to obtain for the Decepticons a sample of the synthetic Energon that drained from his wounds. Stronger, Faster
Having gone rogue, Starscream was forced to either steal energon from the Nemesis Orion Pax, Part 1 or scavenge for it in abandoned mines. Crossfire After MECH stole Bumblebee's T-cog in an attempt to get their own creation working, Starscream pointed out that it required Energon to properly function. He used a small amount of his own as a demonstration. Operation Bumblebee, Part 1 With Starscream's help, they were able to track down a sizable deposit. Operation Bumblebee, Part 2 Airachnid later found an Insecticon which searched for energon for her. Crossfire
A sample of Tox-En was stored in the Iacon Vaults, and eventually made its way to Earth, which was found by Bulkhead. After a fight with Hardshell, Bulkhead began to drip liquefied Energon, which Bulkhead figured was leaking from a loose gasket. Bulkhead used the leak to make a false trail of Energon puddles to lead the Insecticons away while he carried the Tox-En to a nearby volcano for disposal. At one point, Hardshell took time out to taste an Energon puddle. Toxicity
A chunk of Red Energon was uncovered on Earth, and during the race to get hold of it, Starscream managed to secure a chunk. New Recruit
A bizarre interaction with the Energon of Earth was responsible for bringing many weapons, including the Transformers' personal armaments, to life as the Arms Microns.
Toys and merchandise
Beast Wars
The rubsigns introduced into the Beast Wars toyline in 1997 were called "Energon Chips". On the Japanese side of things, Energon Matrices were included with Lio Convoy and Big Convoy's toys; while the former's was merely sculpted detail beneath a panel on his chest, the latter's was fully removable.
Generation 1
Optimus Prime and Megatron's energon-axe and energon mace were the first toys that represented physical energon. Takara has enjoyed a long love affair with these weapons, which up until their release in plastic form, had only been very rarely seen. After several Super Collection Figure PVC figurines depicted Prime and Megatron with the weapons deployed, the armaments made the jump to true toys with the Transformers Collection line of reissues, which featured new axe and mace accessories for the 2003 re-releases of the original Generation 1 Optimus Prime and Megatron toys. These weapons were also included with the Masterpiece versions of the characters, and on Prime's Hybrid Style and Robotmasters figures as well. Prime's axe in particular has gotten a lot of face-time, having been recolored with each new redeco of these various Prime toys—and that's been quite a few! See the energon-axe article for a full listing of this weapon's releases.
The Transformers Collection also featured the first, and to-date only, toys made of energon cubes, three of which came packaged with the Insecticons giftset. The translucent pink cubes are made of soft rubbery plastic, and are quite small; fairly in-scale with the Insecticons themselves, but undeniably dinky next to any larger toys. The reason for their small size is so that they can fit into the Insecticons' opening cockpits, left over from their days as Diaclone toys. Three cubes were also included with the e-HOBBY exclusive Insecticon clone redeco of this set.
Energon
All the Omnicon and Terrorcon toys released in the Energon toyline came packaged with an Energon star (called an "Energon chip" in the toyline) which could attach to the Spark crystals that most of the toys in the series feature, and an Energon weapon, itself formed from several modular pieces that could be mixed and matched with other figures and other Energon weapon components through the miracle of 5mm posts. The Autobot stars and weapons were various shades of red, while the Decepticons' were green, with each faction sporting a different design for their Energon stars. These weapons included Strongarm's Energy Axe (formed from a boom arm and a spare tire) Skyblast's Energy Spear (the merging of a cannon and two rocket boosters), Signal Flare's Energy Cutter (made up of a projecting dish and two shield panels), Arcee's compound bow (built from fuel tanks and exhaust pipes), Battle Ravage's twin cannons, Divebomb's Energy Raiden (the united form of two blades) Cruellock's Energy Blade (a large sword made even larger with the addition of a small gun as a handle) and Insecticon's Energy Drill (a dagger and gatling cannon combined). In addition to being recolored and sold in the Timelines and live-action movie toylines along with the figures who wielded them, many of these weapons were released in new colors as exclusives in Japan, sometimes on their own, sometimes packaged with different toys. See the Energon weapon article for a full list. One other set of modular Energon weapons was available as part of the line: the rifle and sword which came with Starscream, owing to the character's status as an "Energon ghost". This pair of weapons could combine to form a huge sword.
The limb components of the three "Maximus" Combiners released during Energon also each came with a translucent blue "Super Energon" star and an Energon weapon. Rather than follow the modular mix-and-match pattern of the earlier toys, however, these Energon weapons converted into either a hand or foot for their combined super robot mode. From Superion Maximus, Treadshot and Windrazor came with twin double-ended cannons, while Sky Shadow and Terradive were armed with double-barrelled blasters; from Constructicon Maximus, Sledge and Bonecrusher wielded odd clawed cudgels that were particularly strange next to Duststorm and Wideload's pincer-claws; and from Bruticus Maximus, Kickback and Blight bore combined double-barrelled cannon radar arrays, while Blackout and Stormcloud brandished modular quintuple-barrelled arsenals. These figures were redecoed across the Classics, Universe and Revenge of the Fallen toylines, and select limbs were chosen by the Transformers Collectors' Club to become components of their exclusive combiner figure, the energon-manipulating Nexus Prime.
Megatron's Energon Sword was his perennial accessory throughout the Energon toyline, available in various sizes and colors with his toys, and also with a Super Link exclusive Kicker figure and as a rather large role-play weapon. See the Energon Sword article for a full list of releases. By contrast, Optimus Prime's Energon Blaster was only released as a role-play weapon, its role in the toyline about as memorable as its brief, puzzling appearance in the cartoon.
Energon took another form for a small line of European-exclusive McDonald's Happy Meal Energon toys. The four figures in the series each came with a large, translucent "Energon cube", which could be inserted inside their body and featured various effects: Optimus Prime and Ironhide's had electronic sounds, while Megatron and Unicron's featured LED lights.
Live-action movies
The first subline imprint of the live-action movie toyline was the "AllSpark Power" series, in which all the figures sported bright blue parts to represent the glowing blue Energon power of the AllSpark. The AllSpark itself was also rendered in plastic form: it came as a small accessory packaged with the Japanese releases of the "AllSpark Power" figures, or as more esoteric objects like a Rubik's Cube, a paperweight and a candy container. We guess that would make the candy itself the Energon! See the AllSpark article for a complete listing of merchandise.
Optimus Prime's original live-action movie toy did not include the Energon Sword he was seen deploying in the feature film, but the blade was soon added when the figure was retooled for the "Premium Series" subline imprint. A second sword was added to Prime's arsenal in the Revenge of the Fallen movie, and given that the swords played a major part in one of the film's set-piece battles, they were quickly established as a fixture on almost all of the line's Optimus Prime toys, from his large-scale Leader-class figure, all the way down to his Robot Heroes figurine. See the Dual Energon Swords article for a full listing of toys wielding these face-taking blades.
G.I. Joe and the Transformers
An exclusive toy set released for San Diego Comic-Con 2012, was a redeco of the 2012 new-mold G.I. Joe: Retaliation HISS tank meant to represent Shockwave, with an additional cannon piece meant to emulate Generation 1 Shockwave's gun barrel. It includes the Cobras James McCullen Destro XXIV and a Battle Android Trooper<ref>Shockwave H.I.S.S. page at yojoe.com</ref> with a trolley for carrying a trio of Energon cubes. The three cubes, clearly inspired by the Generation 1 cartoon version, are clear pink plastic with inserts to make them appear to be partially filled with liquid.
Notes
Foreign names
- Japanese: Energon (エネルゴン enerugon)
- Russian: Energon (Энергон)